MS Dhoni instilled confidence in me, no shortcuts to get into Team India: Deepak Chahar

Deepak Chahar has credited the growth in his cricketing career to former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's advice, saying the veteran wicketkeeper-batter instilled a lot of confidence in him, which translated into good performances. Chahar, who missed the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) season due to a hamstring injury and is ready for India comeback when the Asia Cup squad is announced on August 8, said: "Mahi bhai has given me a lot of advice. The best advice was to believe in myself.

When I first played for CSK (Chennai Super Kings), the amount of confidence he gave me reflected in my performance. He's the number one captain. If he believes in you, you have to believe in yourself.

The belief I got from playing for CSK was massive. That changed my career. The belief and confidence Mahi bhai gave me was the best." The 29-year-old CSK all-rounder, who has been training at the CSK academy after recovery, said his rise through the ranks was never smooth, but he kept working hard "day and night" to achieve his goal.

"The graph will go up and down. For me, it went down for many years but still I worked hard day and night. I always thought there is no alternative to hard work.

If you work hard, the day and time will come and you'll play well. You'll get what you deserve," added Chahar. "When you are small, it is important for you to imagine yourself as an international cricketer.

You see posters on the wall. You should see your face in those pictures and that should make you work hard every session. You should see yourself there.

"My advice to every young bowler is to work hard. There is no alternative. Hard work is the key.